Progress at the V.C. Summer expansion project has reached 64.1 percent, SCE&G's latest report to the South Carolina Public Service Commission shows. The figure takes into account various phases, including engineering – now considered 96 percent complete – procurement at 88.2 percent complete, construction at 34.3 percent complete and start up activities, which are considered 8.6 percent complete.
Construction at V.C. Summer is continuing on a short-term agreement with Westinghouse, which is in charge of construction, but filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 29.
The percentages of completion are critical to the decision on whether or not to continue with construction. Many media reports have indicated that the project is 34.3 percent complete, judging the project on the merits of its construction figure alone. But SCE&G's aggregate figure shows the plant closer to completion, which may make it easier for executives and funding sources to decided to complete the project.
According to the World Nuclear Association, the company has informed the PSC that it is continuing to evaluate “the relative merits of completing both units, canceling or deferring both units or completing Unit 2 and completing Unit 3,” in an evaluation to be completed before June 30.
Making the decision to split the difference – completing Unit 2, while abandoning Unit 3 – may be hard to justify, given the construction phase for the two units began only eight months apart with the units begun March and November of 2013, respectively. The units are also expected to be finished eight months apart in April and December, respectively, of 2020.
The four defined phases, engineering, procurement, construction and start up, may also have weighted differences in importance. Engineering at 90 percent complete indicates how much the project still relies on the direct involvement of Westinghouse. Procurement at 88.2 percent complete, indicates that some of the investment has already been committed.
Construction completed is also a critical part of the puzzle, given the investment and time already on the books may be investment lost if the project comes to a premature end.
The WNA reported that all four steam generators for Units 2 and 3 have been delivered, while two of the four reactor coolant pumps for Unit 2 are on site.
Westinghouse has estimated to project will cost $829 million above and beyond what it will be able to charge SCE&G under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract for the project.
However, a breach of contact at this point would cost Westinghouse $940 million, according to SCE&G, using preliminary figures.
“The cap (in what a breach of contract would cost) currently stands at approximately $940 million, which exceeds the amount of additional cost reflected in (the) unvalidated estimate,” SCE&G said.
"SCE&G is analyzing what support (Westinghouse) might provide going forward and what resources would be required to continue the project without (Westinghouse) in the lead role," the company's PSC filing said.
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So they claim 96% of the engineering has been completed but the 4 steam generators for each unit including reactor coolant pumps have not been installed. This will still require a substantial amount of pipe stress/pipe support engineering under QA Cat I, ASME III,B31.1 BPV Safety Related piping and components......that is at least 3 years worth of additional work with an increase in the budget....96% of the engineering completion is primarily structural and some utility infrastructure ..but they have left off the internal guts of this plant which is mechanical, electrical, I&C engineering percentage.....overall, counting in construction, procurement, safety....this entire project is less than 50% complete, proportionally.....2020 in the expected completion date.....add on another 15 to 20% delay to that date......ETC is around 2023....(for VC Unit 3 only)
Two steam generators and four reactor coolant pumps per unit at Summer and Vogtle.
and one s/g was installed when i left mid-march.
